As a result of some extremely joyous news last weekend, Marianna and I have been incredibly busy.

As frequent readers of this blog may remember, my husband accepted a job in Key West last summer. Government paperwork has taken nearly 6 months to complete so Hal has only recently begun working down in Key West in the past few weeks. Once we knew the job was one he would keep (after 6 months doubt was creeping in) it became apparent that while we won't ring in the New Year in the Southern Most City, by Spring we most likely will be there.

Thus after Mass last Sunday I stopped the Director of Religious Education to alert her to the fact that Marianna won't be here for First Communion in May. Many parishes require at least a year, sometimes two, of instruction before receiving the Eucharistic Sacrament and this would be another delay, another start in another parish unless something could be worked out. Well! Could it ever! The dear lady swooped me to the back of the church where Father was standing and told him that my daughter must make her First Communion before we leave the area. Father simply asked if the Third Sunday in Advent would work - Gaudete Sunday! Marianna's favorite week in Advent, when the O Antiphons begin, when the Birth of Jesus is so near we can't help celebrating just a little, so we light the rose candle rather than purple ones and the priest wears rose vestments rather than his purple ones. The Sunday where we begin our celebration with the word Rejoice, which is what Gaudete means. The Sunday coming immediately before her birthday. This is the Sunday Marianna will receive her First Communion! Joyous occasion indeed! Advent is always a time of preparation, and this year our Advent has been one of intense preparation, joyful, but intense. Delightful.

(P.S. Mom, Michelle, Veronica and Vanessa - That is the dress with her "fuzz balls." Is a picture worth a thousand words?)